“I call it covering your butt.”
Cal smiled. The deputy definitely wasn’t dumb.
Cassie crossed her legs. Let her foot wave in the air as she talked. “You wanted us to tell you about the shooting. Well, the second time someone tried to kill me. Not to be confused with the first attempt, which you thought was all my imagination.”
Ted looked at Cal for assistance. “She always like this?”
Cal thought about lying but refrained. “Pretty much.”
“I’m right here, you know,” Cassie piped in.
“Believe me, we know.” Laughter was evident in Ted’s voice.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Cassie seethed. The whole scene played like something out of a bad movie. Dan was dead. Ted refused to look at the facts. Cal kept giving away the few kernels of information they did have.
And somehow Cal ended up in the driver’s seat of the car with the keys in his hand.
He started the engine. “I’m going to do some recon at the NASA building tonight. I want to see what’s so important inside there that requires a brand-new lock.”
She underestimated Cal’s ability to annoy her. “No, and how did you get the car keys back anyway?”
“I have the keys because your driving should be illegal.” He glared at her out of the corner of his eye. “And what do you mean, no?”
“You are not racing around the island committing more crimes.”
“I haven’t committed that many.”
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
“If you count them.” He started to raise a finger as if he intended to do just that. “There’s—”
“We are going back to the hotel. I’m going to sit at the bar and nurse a drink for an hour or two.”
His complaining slammed to a halt. “That’s a plan I can get behind.”
“Good. It’s settled then.” She rested her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. Exhaustion pressed down on her, making her bones heavy.
“Right. You go to the hotel. I’ll check the building.”
She should have seen that coming. She forced one eyelid open. “You are not going anywhere without me.”
“Then we both nurse a drink for a few hours until it gets dark, then head back up the canyon.”
Figures he would pick that moment to come up with a reasonable compromise. She was so weary she could barely stand and he was making plans for a midnight covert mission.
“Think of the fun we’ll have climbing that fence,” he said.
Adrenaline raced through her fatigued body at the thought. Cassie decided right then she would need hours of psychological care when this nightmare was over. She was becoming as much of a thrill jockey as Cal.
“If you try to cheat me out of my drink, I’ll shoot you.” A woman had to take a stand somewhere.
“Fair enough.”
Her eyes slipped shut again. “You might also want to change your clothes.”
“But I look so good in this T-shirt.”
The quiet car did not fool her. The car didn’t move, and she could feel Cal looking at her.
“Cassie, we do need to talk.”
That was never a good sign. He usually followed a statement like that with reminding her how little she meant to him. She could not handle that much truth right now. “We need to get back to the hotel and get that drink.”
He finally started driving. The steady hum of the road beneath the car lulled her into a false sense of security. The song on the radio filled her mind, pushing out all of the doubts lodged in there.
Then he tried again. “We can’t ignore this.”
Yes they could. That was exactly her plan. “You’re not giving us enough credit.”
“We need to talk about what happened.”
Cassie noticed he used the past tense. She squeezed her eyes tighter, trying to block out the maddening conversation. “Not now.”
“You’re running from a fight? That’s new.”
“Consider it a crawl. I’m too tired to run—”
The car lurched forward, cutting off her response. She heard the loud crack just as the tires squealed and the back end swerved to the side. The force of the blow sent her body flying forward and knocked her into the dashboard.
After the initial impact, everything moved in a slow-motion haze. She looked to her left and saw Cal’s chest push into the steering wheel. The airbags didn’t blow. The realization floated through her mind as a scream rumbled up her chest.
She tried to brace her weight on her forearms for fear of smashing into the window. The movement of the car rocked her body as if she weighed nothing. The seat belt stopped her forward momentum, but not until after she smacked her head into the window.
The spinning stopped, but the car kept moving. Cal’s white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel did not let up. “Damn it, this guy’s nuts.”
“Is he drunk?”
“Doubt it.”
The air raced out of her lungs, leaving her breathless and shaky. She watched terrified as Cal fought to control the car with straining forearms.
“What the hell?” Cal asked the question just as their attacker smacked into the rental car’s rear bumper a second time. This hit sent them jolting forward until the harsh snap of the seat belts bounced them back in their seats.
In the haze, Cassie could see the dark car off to their left. From this angle, she could not see the driver or figure out the make or the type.
She did know the vehicle was preparing to ram them again. “Cal, watch out!”
“Hold on!”
She could barely hear Cal’s shout over the sound of the blood rushing through her veins. A distant voice in her head told her to keep her head up and try to see the driver. She strained against her sore body. She made out a dark outfit just before Cal turned the wheel sharply, sending the rental car careening into the side of their attacker’s vehicle.
Dirt and rocks kicked up as tires hit against the loose ground. Wheels screeched, drowning out Cassie’s screams. The car listed to the side, the rotations taking it off the road. When the car spun to a stop, she bobbed in her seat before coming to a final landing. A fog of dust blocked her view but she thought their attacker had left the scene.
“I think we should…” The words died in her throat when she saw Cal slumped over the wheel. “Cal!”
He groaned. “I’m okay.”
Cassie fumbled with her seat belt and released the lock. Blood was everywhere. On her hands. On his face. She slid across the seat and touched a shaky hand to Cal’s cheek. “You’re hurt.”
“Don’t care.” His voice gained in strength the more he talked. “You okay?”
The look in his beautiful eyes was so soft and loving she wanted to melt right there. She soothed him with nonsense words. “I’m okay.”
He reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m getting out to take a look around.”
He didn’t look as if he could lift his head. “Just sit,” Cassie ordered.
He shook his head, wincing as he did. “Don’t move.”
“You can’t.”
“Man, I’m getting too old for this.” The grimace on his face said it all. Something inside hurt when he shoved the door open and staggered to his feet.
She was out of her seat and around to the driver’s side of the car in two seconds. She had no idea where she found the strength or how her legs held her. “Get back in the car.”
“I swear you’re deaf. Baby, stay down until I know it’s clear.”
“You’re injured. I’m in charge.” She stared him down, daring him to contradict her.
He didn’t, which she took as a sign of how much pain he was in. He had twice maneuvered the car to take the impact on his side. The man just never stopped protecting.
She touched his side and he hissed. “Cal?”
“My ribs ache a bit. No big deal. Trust me, I’ve had worse.” He patted her hand.
“What can I do?”
<
br /> “Promise me you’re okay.” He rubbed his thumb over her sore lip.
“I’m fine.”
He stretched out, trying to hide his grimace, and touched his lips to hers. “That’s all that matters.”
With a careful touch, she buried her face in his chest and inhaled his unique scent. The fragrance of life. He weaved his fingers through her hair and kissed the silky strands.
“I was so scared,” she whispered.
“You certainly hid it well. Damn you’re tough under fire.”
Yeah, so tough that her legs had turned into squishy wet noodles.
“That was too close.” His voice was ragged. “We need to get out of here and get cleaned up.”
She lifted her head. “I believe the proper procedure would be to call the police.”
“Why start now?”
His wink took her by surprise. A chuckle rose from deep inside of her and bubbled out. She covered her mouth with her hand but the laughter kept coming.
Cal frowned at her. “Did you get hit in the head?”
“You know what I think?”
“I’m kind of afraid to ask.”
“We should take taxis from now on.”
Chapter Twenty-nine
Cal cupped his hands and let the water pool in his palms. When he lifted his head, the vision in the hotel bathroom mirror shocked him. Sunken eyes and an ashen color. A huge bruise on his shoulder and scratches on his face. Turning his hands over, he was surprised to see them tremble.
Damn aftermath.
He touched the bright white bandage wrapped around his ribs. His insides shook, not out of fear for his safety. For Cassie. She could have been killed and there was nothing he could do to stop it. On the deserted road, behind the wheel, all of his training and expertise had been damn near useless.
The mere idea of her being hurt made his blood run cold. The visual image of her beautiful body broken and bruised was enough to drive him to his knees. He did not know when she started to mean so much to him or why. The look of an angel but the stubbornness of a mule, yet he couldn’t stay away.
He had to figure out a way to pack her bags and put her on a plane back to Oahu. It was time for her to go home where it was safer. Before he could change his mind, he wrapped a towel the size of a tablecloth around his waist and walked out into the bedroom. The sight that greeted him made his body tense up and his already battered muscles burn.
Cassie lay sprawled across the bed in an oversized robe. A loosely tied sash held the material together. Lean tanned legs peeked out from the opening, and she hummed a lazy tune and rocked her legs in time to the music drifting from the alarm clock.
The cuts on her face and purple blotches on the right side of her head caused fury to fill him once more. Despite his tough talk, they’d been to the emergency room to get checked over. Got some meds and took a few hours to sleep those off. Fought with the rental car company to get a new vehicle. Even talked with Ted and filed a report.
She deserved more.
“You should be at the hospital,” he said to the quiet room.
“You’re the one with bruised ribs, not me.” She stretched her arms wide to the side. The gap in the robe slipped open even farther, revealing the mouth-watering tops of her breasts.
He stared at the ceiling and counted to ten to gain his composure. Jumping on top of her then sending her home would send a mixed message.
“Cassie, we should talk about what we’re going to do next.”
She lifted her head off the pile of pillows. “We’re going to commit a felony. Maybe it’s a misdemeanor, I don’t know. It really doesn’t matter because it’s already decided.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Breaking into the NASA building.”
She had to be fucking kidding. The woman needed to rest, and a bodyguard. “I think you should go back home.”
Her body stilled. “You better mean to Dan’s house.”
“I mean, Oahu.”
“No.”
No anger. No fighting. Just, no. She could throw him off balance easier than anyone else in the world.
“Cassie—”
“We’re done talking about that subject, Cal.” She turned over onto her stomach and shot him a heated look that spiraled straight to his groin.
The power shift in the room was apparent, and Cal knew he no longer held the top spot. To the extent it was his in the first place. But common sense demanded an attempt at reasoning. “We need to have a serious discussion.”
“I said, no.”
When she sat up on her knees, he could feel the water closing over his head. The opening of the robe invited him to take a long look as the beautiful creature crawled across the bed. The sight of naked, willing flesh made his knees buckle. She was the sexiest damn thing he had ever seen. And she was stalking him.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“But you have…” Words fell into nothingness as her robe slipped down bare shoulders.
“Yes?”
“Bruises.”
She was on top of him now, rubbing her body against his. Gentle fingers released the knotted towel at his waist. “You look hot.”
On fire was more like it.
“We should take some of these clothes off,” she said between kisses.
“That will pretty much end the talking.”
She traced his bruises with her mouth. “That’s what I’m hoping.”
A hot mouth inched lower, tracing every inch of skin with nibbling bites and a wicked tongue. Every injury got gentle attention. Her healing powers eased the ache in his muscles. When her head dipped one more time and she took him in her hot mouth, he forgot all about reasoning with her.
They ended up taking twenty-four hours to recuperate in the hotel room. The next night Cassie dragged her sore butt and injured body up a dark and deserted road to break into a building. Amazing how everything hurt more two days later.
The two wore black from head to toe. If the police stopped them, they’d be arrested for dressing like idiots.
“Tell me again why we parked so far away,” she asked.
“Subterfuge.”
“Overreact much?”
“Sneaking around would work better if you didn’t keep shouting,” he managed to whisper through clenched teeth.
Darkness fell over the area completely owing to the lack of streetlights. Hell, there weren’t even any streets out here.
“I’m just saying you might be taking this covert operation thing too far.” And a night or two to recuperate from their car accident didn’t seem too much to ask.
Cassie had come along only because he threatened to leave her behind. She hated that.
Cal stopped without warning and turned around. The midnight blue sky obscured his face. “This isn’t a game.”
“Feels like one. This is the way you operate. This is about one more set of rules you’re prepared to break.”
His head fell to the side. “That’s really how you see me?”
“You drive too fast, fly like a madman, and violate laws left and right. You live life on the edge.”
“Sounds about right so far.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond when someone admitted to being a nut. “You’re a typical thrill jockey. No risk is too great.”
He looked up at the sky as if he were weighing her comments. “Was that how your last boyfriend acted?”
Now there was an unexpected turn in the conversation. “We’re not talking about Han.”
Cal dropped the small packet he was holding. “How can you say that name without laughing?”
“I don’t know, Cal, which is short for Caleb.” She cleared her throat. “I’m willing to talk about my past loves if you are.”
“Don’t have any.”
“None?”
“Loves? None of those lurking about, no.” While she stammered, he leaned in close until the tips of their noses touched. “Ready to get b
ack to the actual topic?”
“What was it?”
“The way I figure it, my job on Kauai is to find out what happened to Dan and keep you from getting thrown in jail, which is a full-time job.”
“Says the man with a propensity for trespassing.”
“If you don’t like how I do my work…”
“Yes?”
“Tough.” He planted a hard kiss on her startled mouth. Before she could kiss him back, he started talking again. “Now, march that tight butt of yours up that hill before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you up there.”
“Well, since you asked so nicely.”
Her head reeled from the kiss. When he compounded his outrageous behavior by slapping her on the backside, she was too lost in a fog to even comment.
“Stay quiet.”
“Stop bossing me around.”
“That means no talking,” he said.
“Thanks for the English lesson.”
“I’m willing to help with any lesson you need, baby.” Even in the dark Cassie could see him wiggle his eyebrows.
“Spare me.”
He awarded her with a deep chuckle. “It was worth a shot.”
She now knew these outrageous comments were meant to spin her up. She refused to play into his game. “I thought I was the boss.”
“You can be in charge during our next burglary. Let’s go.”
They crouched down and approached the site at a jog from the south, stopping when they reached an outcropping of weeds and trees. She watched from behind while Cal scanned the location ahead for any movement. When it appeared the coast was clear, a prearranged hand signal indicated it was safe to move forward again.
The soft floral scent of the island wafted around them. They halted on the far wall of the building by the side facing the mysterious garages. Cal flipped open a small black roll and pulled out a miniature, sharp pair of wire clippers.
“Impressive,” she said in hushed tones.
“I’ve been trying to tell you that.”
Within minutes Cal peeled back a section of fence just large enough for the two to slide through. He squeezed his sizable frame through the small opening, then held out a hand to her. She grabbed on and followed him through.
It’s Hotter in Hawaii Page 18
